There is hue & cry on social media that Disability Pension of Soldiers who have gone for war has reduced. In my subsequent paras I would like to clarify many doubts of you all.

Q No. 1: Is WAR INJURY DISABILITY PENSION IS REDUCED

Answer: NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, OR A VERY BIG NO. Please refer Para 10.2.63 of 7th CPC, there is no change or to say it is same as was in 6th CPC i.e. 60% of LAST DRAWN RECKONABLE EMOLUMENTS FOR 100% disability.

“10.2.63 The Commission notes that the war injury element as per existing regime is calculated at 60 percent of the last drawn reckonable emoluments for cases of 100 percent disability. For lower percentages of disability, the amount of Disability Element is reduced pro-rata. The pay of all defence forces personnel as per the recommendations of the Commission are being enhanced. This will itself translate into enhancement of payout to those retiring with war injury and retained in service. In view of the foregoing the Commission does not recommend any change in the existing regime of payouts for those with war injury and retained in service.”

Q No. 2: Which Disability Pension has been converted from percentage system to Slab System?

Answer: Disability on Superannuation or to say disability other than war injury.

Answer: Any OR (Sepoy to Hav) who is retiring with pension of less than 20000 will be beneficial.

Any (JCO) who is retiring with pension of less than 56667 will be beneficial.

Any (Defence officer) who is retiring with pension of less than 90000 will be beneficial.

Q No. 5: Why this Slab system has been introduced under 7th CPC.

Answer: This slab system was there till 5th CPC; however in 6th CPC percentage system was introduced. And this percentage system has created a big gap between the disability pensions of JCOs & ORs vs Defence officers. Please refer Para 10.2.48 & 10.2.49 of 7th CPC.

Q No. 6: What was earlier ratio and what is the new ratio.

Answer: Ratio of Maximum to Minimum under 4th CPC was 1.66, 5th CPC 1.67 and after 6th CPC it is 8.6. In a simple language if a Sepoy getting disability pension for a particular disease will get Rs. 100 then officer with the same disease will get Rs. 860 under 6th CPC whereas under from 1986 to 2005 it was Rs. 100 Vs Rs. 166 or 167.

Q No. 7: What is percentage of Defence Commissioned Officers on Superannuation are getting disability pension.

Answer: Approximate 20% of Defence Commissioned Officers (say 1 out of every 5).

Q No. 8: Is there hike in this percentage or the trend is same to earlier years or till 5th CPC.

Answer: Please refer Para 10.2.54 of 7th CPC, there is a significant increase for the number of officers retiring with disability element. You can say there is increase of approximately 50% in the same. 13.6% in 2007-08 and 19.8% in 2013-14.

Q No. 8: Is there hike in this percentage of JCOs/ORs on Superannuation are getting disability pension.

Answer: No rather it is reversed in 2007-08 it was 18.9% and in the year 2013-14 it is only 7.2%.

Q No. 9: What are the statistics of Invalid out cases.

Answer: Invalid out cases is on reverse side.

Q No. 10: Percentage of officers Invalid out due to disability pension.

Answer: During the year 2013-14 Defence commissioned officers invalid out with Disability is just 1.06%

Q No. 11: What about Percentage of JCOs & ORs Invalid out due to disability pension.

Answer: Over the period of time JCOs/ORs who are invalid out has increased many folds. In the year 2007-08 it was 1.03% whereas in year 2013-14 it is 4.37%

Q No. 12: What does it mean?

Answer: Since the real fights and operations in counter insurgencies are fought the lower levels there are more injuries for JCOs/ORs and thus more invalid out cases.

On the other hand disability other than operational disability officers are on higher side means they are not able to keep themselves fit, and which is an alarming situation for any Army in the world.

Q No. 13: What about Percentage of JCOs & ORs Invalid out due to disability pension.

Answer: Over the period of time JCOs/ORs who are invalid out has increased many folds. In the year 2007-08 it was 1.03% whereas in year 2013-14 it is 4.37%

Q No. 14: Any Data on decrease of Invalid out cases of Defence Officers.

Answer: Major/Equivalent – Yr 2006 – 16 cases Vs 01 case in 2014

Lt Col/Eq – Yr 2006 – 12 cases Vs 01 case in 2014

Col/Eq – Yr 2006 – 10 cases Vs 01 case in 2014

Brig/Eq – Yr 2006 – 03 cases Vs NIL case after 2010

Q No. 15: Do I have any documentary evidence for my claims and answers given.

Answer: Yes, Please refer 7th CPC report Paras 10.2.48 to 10.2.63, However for the easiness of you all I will be posting copies of the same on Facebook, and a link to download the same.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4713yfuhnhnQWRUYlpEYUtqLW8

Q No. 15: Do we (JCOs & ORs) need to support defence officers on this issue.

Answer: No.

Q No. 16: Reasons for not supporting officers.

Answer: A Constable of Chandigarh Police comes under Pay Band -2, and thus drawing much higher salary on the very first day of their joining than a Sepoy to Havildar of Army and their equivalents even after 24 years of service.

And so called defence officers never raised the point and never written to Govt. to increase the salaries of JCOs & ORs and that it should not be less than a constable of Chandigarh Police.

Rather have always raised their voice for their own status and equal pay & perks to IAS/IPS.

I hope my post will clear many doubts of the ex-servicemen and other people too.